


Tresses

by botgal



Series: No Worse, But No Better [6]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Attempted Pale, Because she knows better, Gen, Haircuts, IC Porrim ignoring what Kankri actually wants, More young Kankri rebellion, One-Sided Attraction, Past Child Abuse, Past Non-Con or Dub-Con Moiraillegiance, Past Pale Abuse, Touch Aversion, hair cutting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 02:37:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10688049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/botgal/pseuds/botgal
Summary: Sometimes, it's the smaller, not so grand things in life, which remind us so heavily of the bad.





	Tresses

**Author's Note:**

> I'm honestly not trying to make Porrim a bad guy by having her seem antagonistic to Kankri in these fics.  
> Her role is more that of... someone who's not privy to someone else's circumstances, and continues to do things that may hurt them or cause them to think badly of her when in her own mind she's trying to help.  
> In her mind, she's trying to do good. In Kankri's, not so much.  
> Not as bad as some of the previous ones, but the subject matter still fits, I believe.

You honestly never liked wearing your hair long. Though the reasons for this have always had numbers, they really come down to a select few of them.

It was always a pain to deal with. When left uncared for properly it could easily become disorderly in a number of ways. From static to moisture; even something as simple as wind could offset the entire mop you'd grown out. Then there was the constant care it required to keep it looking 'decent' enough to be seen in public with, not that he ever went out in public much to begin with since he was so small.

However, if you had to name the biggest, most prominent reason you'd always hated having long hair, was that it seemed to be a magnet for being touched.

No matter where you went, there always seemed to be someone or other who'd end up putting their hands on you.

On your few excursions outside the hive, it was either strangers on the street, or the people your culler took you to in order to get you looking like a prim, proper little cullee. Ruffle your hair or absently run their fingers along it before handing you back off to his culler. You'd always have to resist the urge to rub off the feeling of them touching you until you was firmly back where your culler couldn't reprimand your for it.

Or else if you were out and about, or even in your own hive, when you was subjected to the proddings and pokings of your culler's quadrant mates. The kismesis wasn't so bad, as usual, but the matesprit and moirail (when she still had one) were always the worst. It wasn't enough that they likes to just pull you up into their laps or pinch and poke your cheeks or anywhere else that they picked. You could never put up a fight against it. Lest you be 'reprimanded' for being 'rude' to the guests.

But then, as always, there was the absolute worst of it.

When your culler decided she wanted to play with it.

It didn't always take place in the pile, but it was never any better, in or out. She would just keep... _going_. Running her fingers through your dark locks, putting little braids in it. Running a brush or a comb through it over and over again until it game to a glossy sheen and you were ready to tear off your own skin with how badly you just wanted it all to stop. Even when she wasn't making it pale, just her too cold hands constantly touching you just made you itch under your skin.

Even after she was done with your hair, she still wouldn't let you go. If she started brushing your hair, you knew you'd always have to brace yourself for hours of silent torment when you couldn't say so much as a word to speak out. Or else.

It's these reasons, and a few others, that make you consider heavily otherwise when it comes to the idea of asking someone else to cut your hair. Much as you want it gone, you don't really want anyone else touching you to do it. Especially not your hair. Having them putting their grimy ( _cold_ ) fingers on you is just not an appealing concept in the slightest.

Still, no matter what, your hair needs to be cut; the annoying shoulder length mop growing out of your scalp has  _got_ to go.

“Kanny, there you are.” You sigh and turn your head, seeing (not to your surprise) Porrim coming up to you. That same, condescending look upon her face. “What are you doing over here all by yourself? And what's that you've got in your hands there?”

“Don't call me that,” you growl absently. “And I you must know, I was thinking about whom to go about asking, if I should, to help give me a hair cut. It's getting annoying and in the way.”

“You want to cut off your hair? Why?” By the look Porrim gave you, you already know you may as well be a dopey woolbeast in her eyes. “I think it's a good length on you like that. If you would just let me show you how to take care of it, it wouldn't be anything you'd need to cut.”

“I don't care what you think about how it makes me look, Porrim,” you hiss. “I don't want it at this length and I just want to cut it all off. That's that.

“Why do you _always_ have to be so contrary? I'm just stating a fact. Long hair looks good on you, and I don't think you ought to cut it.”

“Well then, good thing that decision isn't up to you, is it, Porrim?” She's getting annoyed with you now. Good. Maybe if you keep it up she'll finally leave you alone.

“Seriously, Kanny. Here, if you'd just let me show you what you could do with it-”

You turn sharply when you feel a hand on the back of your head, just behind your horns. It's only the cold metal of the scissors against your palm that prevents you from turning and slapping her arm away like you usually do. If you did that, you might accidentally cut her ( _maybe that'd teach her to touch you... no, no that's bad..._ ). Immediately you shoot up from your seat and get a few steps away from her.

“How many times do I have to tell you to keep your hands off of me, Porrim?!” She looks surprised at first, which turns to indignation at your sudden outburst.

“Oh my god, Kanny! Can you not just let me try to help you for once without acting like such a petulant wiggler about it?”

“If wanting you to do as I ask and you respecting it is me being a wiggler, then fine! I suppose I'm just the greatest wiggler there is!”

Before she can say anything, you've already taken off in a brisk abscond. She's faster than you, but you pride yourself in being undoubtedly more wily. In not too long, you've managed to evade her, and soon enough you're back at your own hive. Once you're certain she can't burst in on you by locking your door, you make your way to the ablutions block.

You stand before the sink a long while, staring at your reflection and your long, slightly frizzed hair. You're nearly glaring at your reflection, dull outer edges of the scissors digging into your palms, before you've finally had enough.

It's a sloppy job you do. Hair falling left and right into the porcelain bowl that makes up the sink. And you're just so eager to get it all cut that you're basically just hacking at it, it likely won't be a clean look.

At last, when the deed is done, you stand back and look at yourself. Your hair seems to have almost retreated up your head. A chill touch of air strokes the back of your bared neck as you look at it. It's so short now, and light. Without the extra weight, what's left of it fluffs up to the point where your horns are almost completely engulfed. It looks nothing like it did before you took to hacking at it with the scissors, or like what Porrim or your culler or anyone else you've ever heard said looked good on you.

Good.

 

**Author's Note:**

> A good part of the inspiration for this fic was honestly some vent junk? I have kind of a sensitive scalp, and a little thing about touch myself, so people brushing or cutting or touching my hair is not something I allow willy nilly.  
> I was thinking on this topic because of some junk, then thought about Kankri. And boom, this fic was born.  
> Kind of a combination exploration into the idea of things not usually considered triggers (touching hair) being a big and honest trigger for people, and some more general making Kankri miserable.  
> Hope you guys enjoyed it. Kudos and comments are appreciated as always~


End file.
